Event Coverage
IBC 2016 scores another triumph
The 49 th edition of IBC 2016 held at Amsterdam’s RAI convention centre between 8-13 September 2016 resulted in streets, hotel lobbies, trams, restaurants, bars, cafes, and even the infamous red light district brimming over with techies and business executives.
Statistics released by the IBC office reveal that 55,796 professionals attended the six-day exhibition-cum-conference, coming from 160 countries. 668 more attended this year compared to 2015. 435 speakers took part in more than 100 sessions including keynotes and panel discussions during the IBC conferences.
On the exhibition side, 1,800 exhibitors set up tent in the RAI with stands. 249 of them were newbies to the trade show.
One important addition to the feature areas in the exhibition was the IBC IP Interoperability Zone, an initiative to push forward open standards in new connectivity. Supported by AIMS and the IABM and working with AES,AMWA, the EBU, SMPTE and VSF, IBC created a dedicated exhibit which demonstrated verified technical progress in IP interoperability and featured the award-winning VRT-EBU LiveIP studio which was used for IBCTV’s production at this year’s show.
IBC chief executive Michael Crimp was thrilled to bits. Said he: “IBC really is the only forum that attracts a global audience, the most comprehensive exhibition, and the best thought-leaders to spark the debate. Above all else, it is about bringing people together to share knowledge and to do business. It is clear, from the buzz around the whole show, that this has been a great year.”
It probably had a record participation this year from India too. Specific numbers were not available but they definitely were in excess of 300. CTOs of broadcast majors, cable ops roamed the aisles trying to get to grips the technological upheaval the world of television. OTT, cable TV is going through. Dish TV’s Jawahar Goel, Tata Sky’s Harit Nagpal, Videocon d2h Himanshu Patil were spotted meeting their tech suppliers. GTPL’s Anirudh Singh Jadeja was checking out the latest in STBs and billing solutions.
Among the major Indian exhibitors figured: Media Guru, Amagi, Wasp3D, Canara Lighting, Tata Elxsi, and Prime Focus Technologies.
Media Guru’s Sanjay Salil said he had back to back meetings with clients which kept him on his toes throughout the six days.
According to Goel, the transformation of the industries towards the cloud,IP and streaming services is going to change the way everyone in traditional television delivers and creates content. In the process, this is going to put pressure on vendor pricing – especially those who are continuing to work in the old linear television broadcast ways.
Amongst the key trends noticed were the increasing shift towards augmented reality, virtual reality filming equipment, processing and VR and AR video delivery. Ultra HD, HDR, OTT platforms and app development and deployment were some of the major key words heard during the six days.
Event Coverage
Anime India announces Amazon MX Player as co-presenting partner for Anime India Kolkata 2026
MUMBAI: Riding high on the success of its blockbuster Mumbai debut, Anime India is accelerating its nationwide expansion with the announcement of Amazon MX Player as the co-presenting partner for Anime India Kolkata. The partnership marks a significant step forward in the festival’s mission to deliver large-scale, accessible, and fan-first anime experiences across the country.
Scheduled for 14 and 15 February 2026 at the iconic Biswa Bangla Mela Prangan, Anime India Kolkata will launch the first regional chapter of what is set to be a year-long, multi-city tour. As the curtain-raiser for the 2026 circuit, the Kolkata edition aims to fuse the energy of global Japanese pop culture with India’s fast-growing community of anime, manga, and pop-culture fans.
A household name in digital entertainment, Amazon MX Player brings unmatched reach and cultural relevance to the Anime India platform. With its expanding focus on anime and youth-driven content, Amazon MX Player’s involvement as co-presenting partner reinforces Anime India’s vision of making anime culture more inclusive breaking barriers of language, geography, and accessibility to connect with fans nationwide.
Anime India Kolkata 2026 will showcase cosplay competitions, interactive zones led by the Indian Gunpla Community, India-39 Vocaloid Community, The Japan Curry, and Adda-o-Otaku by The Otaku Guild. Fans can join tournaments across fighting games, Pokémon VGC, and more. Acclaimed Japanese director Susumu Mitsunaka (Haikyu!!) will attend as guest of honour, appearing in panels and live sessions. Positioned as an immersive celebration of fan culture and industry collaboration, the Kolkata edition marks the beginning of Anime India’s nationwide expansion.
Sharing their perspective on the partnership, Amazon MX Player director Aruna Daryanani expressed, “Anime in India has evolved from a niche interest into a mainstream cultural movement, driven by an increasingly engaged and passionate fanbase. At Amazon MX Player, our focus is on expanding access by bringing anime to audiences across the country for free and in multiple local languages. Our association with Anime India reflects our commitment to supporting the growth of anime in India and deepening connections with fans, while continuing to build Amazon MX Player as a trusted destination for free, high-quality entertainment.”
“Anime India Kolkata is a celebration of how anime has grown beyond entertainment into a powerful cultural and creative force. By bringing fans, creators, and industry leaders onto one shared platform, the festival is helping define the future of pop culture in India,” said Anime India co-founder and director Neha Mehta.
The debut edition of Anime India 2025 in Mumbai attracted over 29,000 fans, quickly cementing its status as a landmark celebration of anime and Japanese pop culture. Riding on this overwhelming response, the Kolkata chapter is projected to draw more than 40,000 visitors across two days, positioning it as one of the biggest anime conventions ever held in eastern India.
Anime India is focused on bringing together fans from across the country to create a truly pan-India celebration of anime, manga, cosplay, gaming, and Japanese culture. With plans to expand into four key metropolitan hubs in 2026—east (Kolkata), north (Delhi), west (Mumbai), and south (Hyderabad)—the festival seeks to deliver globally benchmarked experiences while supporting and uplifting creators, artists, and fan communities throughout India.
